Quick and Dirty…Rice, That Is!

I’ve spent the last 6 days traveling – Philadelphia with college friends, Bucknell University for Reunion, then on to New York to visit my son in Manhattan. Thankfully, I cooked and photographed this before I left, because based on the scale this morning I shouldn’t eat another morsel of food for at least a week. Ah, the hazards of being a foodie. Look for my travel post later in the week – I ate at no fewer than 8 fabulous dining spots and have the food photos – and love handles! – to prove it.

I “preach” about getting more whole grains and beans into your diet every time I teach a class for Cooking Matters, but the truth is, cooking whole grains and beans takes time, so I often opt for something else, something not quite as good for you. Until, that is, I got the brilliant (but obvious) idea to cook a larger batch of each and freeze them in individual portion sizes.So the other night when I wanted a quick but flavorful side dish, something like dirty rice with beans, I simply thawed and reheated a small bag of cooked brown rice and a small bag of cooked black beans, then tossed the hot rice and beans with some extra virgin olive oil and spices. Simple, fast, no hot oven or stove, good for you. What more could you want now that summer is here?!

Rice & Beans are my favorite, not only because they are versatile and delicious, but easy on the budget too! Especially if you buy dried beans and soak them overnight and then cook.. When I was dirt poor I lived off rice and beans but was still happy enough to eat them every night 🙂 Great recipe!